Of Wolves and the Moon
by Lancetheflamesniper
Summary: What if what you knew about the past was wrong? What if what was supposed to happen and what did happen were different? A sailor Senshi and a Ookami Youkai are about to find out.
1. Prologue

I don't own Sailor Moon. Naoko Takeuchi does. Likewise I don't own Inu Yasha. Rumiko Takehashi does. I'm not making any money off this. The idea of hitsuzen is the product of CLAMP and will be explained at the end of the chapter.

Of Wolves and the Moon

Chapter one: Epilogue

By

Lance the Flamesniper

_It was a matter of hitsuzen that the Senshi woild eventually become aware of yokai. It was only a matter of time and only the gods would know the outcome. And also, no one could have guessed when and how it would come to pass or what it would inevitably reveal about the past…_

_---from the journal of Rei Hino_

* * *

Kougaro, crown prince of the city of Tranquility, rushed through the halls of the palace with a vicious sneer. He was not in a great mood, having his home planet invaded and being one of the only ones to know exactly why the attack was occurring would do that to a person. However that didn't matter at the moment, nor did the ruined ball that would have held the announcement of an engagement.

_All that matters is finding her and getting her to safety! _Kogaro thought as he rounded a corner. Without a second thought he unleashed a flying roundhouse kick that nearly took the last of the negaverse soldiers' head off his shoulders before continuing to sprint toward the Imperium's defensive barricades. He vaulted the barricade at the end of the hallway and came face to face with his three best friends: Gintama, Hakakkure and Aya, The three had obviously seen better days and, in Gintama's case were running low on ammunition.

"Prince Kougaro!" The three exclaimed! "What's the situation?"

"Well, before the advance warning teams got taken out, we determined this is a full on invasion from the kingdom ruled by the House Nova on Earth. They're being backed by youma and apparently any chance of outside help has been cut off," The prince replied.

"What of the Weapon Masters and Weapon Lords?" Aya asked.

"A lot of them are dead. I think the one from Pluto was sent on a mission to the Plutonian Embassy. Other than him I've not heard a lot of them and in the long run it isn't important."

"What could be more important than the city falling?" Cried Hakakkure.

"Making sure my hime is safe of course!" The prince replied.

"Last I saw her she was dancing with Prince Endymion. When the attack broke out he was told to take her to the palace keep to be safe," Gintama stated.

"Thanks for the update. Hold these pieces of filth off as long as you can. Show them why you don't mess with the Imperium and more importantly warriors from Tranquility!"

"Yes sir!" The three intoned before their leader resumed his trek to the keep.

* * *

Inside the keep Prince Endymion and Princess Serenity waited in safety. Or at least Serenity did. Endymion paced.

_Why is this happening now!? She wasn't supposed to find out about this arrangement until __**after **__the fact and she certainly shouldn't have been able to raise an army of men and youma. Not this quickly at least._ Endymion thought.

Of course there were many things Endymion didn't know and in the end what wasn't known by several people would cause a great deal of problems in the future. One great example of what Endymion didn't know was that it was his trusted advisors and secret Earth Seperatist (Also known as the Negaverse movement) who had informed Beryl Nova of both the trade treaty and the King's desire to marry Endymion off to the blonde princess of the moon. He assumed that the announcement that was going to be made at the ball was going to cement the deal, which was true after a fashion.

The other thing he didn't know was that Serenity didn't love him. Oh she liked him well enough to dance with him at the masked ball and talk with him when they encountered each other, which seemed to be quite often. Still her heart belonged to another and it was him that her mind, heart and prayers went out to in this horrible situation.

Serenity wasn't sure when the two of them had started feeling the way they did toward each other, only that they'd started out as friends, playmates and schoolmates really. It was he that would go to great lengths to keep Luna from being too hard on her. It was he who had taught her how to ice skate, something that made both Minako and Makoto somewhat jealous.

Just as the wait was becoming intolerable the door to the room flew open. Endymion's hand flew to his sword and stayed there even once he saw who it was. After all Kougaro was someone Endymion didn't like. The feeling he'd learned was definitely mutual. Kougaro was constant his (successful) efforts in keeping Endymion from becoming too close to Serenity. He was quick with a well timed smart-aleck comment or a joke Endymion didn't get. At the moment however Kougaro looked angry and relieved at the same time..

"Kougaro!" Serenity cheered as she lauched herself into the arms of her secret love. "I don't understand why is this happening?"

Kougaro looked at Endymion with a look of utter contempt and instantly the Terran prince knew: Kougaro knew the truth. He didn't know how this man would know but somehow he'd found out, just like Beryl had found out.

"While this man is not a traitor to the Imperium as many accuse him of being, he is at least in part to blame for this situation. As I am a man of honor as I suspect him to be, though not nearly as honorable as he pretends, I will allow him to choose whether or not to tell you what wrong he has committed," stated Kogaro.

"What do you mean Kougaro?" Serenity asked as she looked between her beloved and Endymion.

Endymion sighed and lowered his guard. In a way he supposed he should feel grateful to the moon prince, after all he was allowing him to be honest about the situation and thus spare any further stain to his honor but part of him still wanted to deny the situation and perhaps discredit this, obstacle to his own happiness. As if hearing the internal debate, Kougaro decided to speak up.

"Keep in mind if you lie to her or try to besmirch me in any way, I will tell her what I know."

Endymion growled. "Fine! If you must be that way, yes I haven't been completely honest! The truth is I…"

Before Endymion could finish the wall of the room they were in exploded sending shards of stone in every direction. Kougaro wasted no time in putting himself between Serenity and whatever was coming through the wall his sword at the ready. Endymion to his credit also stood, sword drawn and face stern, intending to face whoever their attacker was.

The next blast of energy came from the debris cloud and hit Kougaro square in the chest shattering his sword along the way.

"Kougaro!" Serenity screamed as she dropped to her knees, tears streaming from her cerulean eyes.

The distaction was enough that Endymion saw neither the battle with the invincible shadow or the attack that felled him. Serenity seeing that she was trapped and her beloved's sword was unable to do the job she needed it to, scrambled to the prone body of Endymion and seized his blade. It was at this moment that Luna arrived to see what was about to transpire, namely the self inflicted demise of Serenity as she kneeled teary eyed beside the fallen Earth prince.

_Such a true and pure love, _Luna thought as she witnessed this. It was also this that she told Queen Selene before her majesty sent the Planetary princesses, Artemis, Luna and Endymion forward. It was the same spell that then locked away the Negaverse. She never learned of the mistake she made…

* * *

Kougaru floated in the darkness. Around him he could sense the souls of the men and women of Tranquility who had fell in battle. To Kougaro, dismay there were many souls there. The master of the newly created Lunar arbalest: Gintama; Aya: Tanquility's finest elemental mage whose focus was plant magic; Hakkaure the chain fighter and literally hundreds of dozens of others.

Standing before them was a woman with fiery green eyes and hair darker than midnight. She seemed both and at the same time hopeful. She was clad in a simple Black and white set of robes which quickly clued Kougaro in on who he was seeing: a Shinsengumi (God of death).

"Kougaro, events have occurred which cannot be changed. Errors made that cannot be repaired. All that can be done is risky damage management. I am unable to send you forward as Queen Selene could, but I can offer you reincarnation. Before you accept I must also tell you that in accepting this you would not be reborn as human beings. There are too many of you for me to reincarnate thus. You would become Ookami youkai. From that point you would have to find your own path to the woman you love. I can make only one promise. It is hitsuzen that you and she will meet again. Do we have an accord Kougaro of Tranquility?"

Kougaru looked at the people of Tranquility knowing that he's making a choice for them as much as he would for himself. The warrior men and women of Tranquility looked at each other before Gintama spoke up.

"The question is boss," He said. "Can you go to the afterlife knowing you may never see her again? If the answer is no, then tell this goddess to proceed."

Kougaru smiled at his friend. "I can live without many things: My kingdom, my title, my freedom… but she is my sun and my sky! Please, megami-sama… please! You can't take the sky from me! My spirit cannot be at peace without her!"

"Then," The woman said. "You shall have your chance to find her!"

Then, Kougaru's world flared white….

* * *

Kouga came awake with a start. _Dammit! Not this dream again!_ Kouga, prince of the wolf youkai had been having this dream most of his eighteen years. None could tell him what it meant. Not traveling monks, not the tribe's shaman. All he knew was that since the dream started again his heart had been filled with a deep longing.

Somewhere in the distance of his tribe's constant companions let loose with a long howl. Kouga smirked to himself before answering with a howl of his own. His gaze drifted to the moon, the mistress of all wolves as he pondered his dream. Unknown to him, only a few miles away and five hundred years in the future a certain just turned eighteen blonde with blue eyes was also pondering mostly the same dream.

Little did they both know, that their paths were soon to cross, Nor did they know that their meeting would change many things.

TBC

Author's notes:

Okay as promised at the beginning of the story a little bit on Hitsuzen. Hitsuzen is described by Wikipedia as follows: _hitsuzen_ (必然**?**), means inevitability, destiny, or fate, as being the driving force in the world. According to hitsuzen, there is no such thing as coincidence, and every single action and decision is inevitable, because without them, other related events in the future could not happen.


	2. Missing Moon

Of Wolves and the Moon

Chapter One: Missing Moon

By

Lance the Flamesniper

_There are many legends that come from the warring states era. I can attest to several of them being real. Legends like that of the quest for the Shikon no Tama, the staff of two heads, the angel's hagoromo have all roots in reality. But it is easy to forget that we humans aren't the only ones with legends. The youkai of varying species have their own mythos. The most notable is the legends of the ookami youkai with relation to the moon. It makes one wonder if they too are true._

_--Kagome Higureshi, excerpt from __Myths and Legends of the Youkai_

_There's something about you, I wanna rescue. I don't even know you so what does that mean? Maybe I'm cynical, painfully logical. You're tragic and beautiful and that's good enough for me. You're looking for a hero… but it's just my old tattoo. Tonight I swear I'd sell my soul to be a hero for you._

_-- Bon Jovi Superman Tonight_

* * *

Modern day Tokyo, Azabu Juuban Ward

It was a warm and beautiful day as only early summer time in Japan could bring. At least that's what eighteen year old Usagi Tsukino though as she walked toward the subway station for the last day of classes before the final exams at the local college. It was her dream that before the next semester her family would allow her to move in with Mamoru especially since his apartment was closer to her college. Today's classes included one of her favorites: Japanese Folklore. The class was fun and the professor, a woman who looked to be no older than Usagi herself, often pointed out how many legends had been made into anime and manga over the years. Over all it was a very impressive and entertaining elective. Some of the legends, which the professor spoke of with pure seriousness, were a little out there.

_Then again if someone had told me I was the reincarnation of the princess of the moon about four years ago, I would have thought you were out of your mind. Still the professor was certainly interesting._

Thoughts of her status as the reincarnated moon princess reminded her of something else as well. Lately she'd had a recurring dream. While the topic of the dream was not an uncommon one: the final night of the Silver Imperium and it results, this dream was different. She wasn't sure who he was but there was a new element to the dream a presence that was pleasant and welcome in that dream. She couldn't recall him clearly but a brief talk with Luna had convinced her not to worry too much about that. It was Luna's opinion, Usagi always secretly suspected, that if the person was important in any way they'd have been saved by the Queen and sent forward. Usagi didn't think that the case. Something about the man in her dream hinted that there was more to it. Though Luna also said that eventually all the Senshi would get all their memories back so maybe that was the case here. Usagi had let the matter go at that point, though the dream still left her rather troubled.

Any plans that Usagi had to attend her class were quickly derailed however when she heard a familiar terrified scream. _That sounds like Naru-chan! _Usagi thought as she activated her communicator and took off towards the sound.

* * *

Meanwhile across town eight other communicators began chiming out their alerts causing seven women to immediately stop what they were doing and head for the source of the trouble. The eighth woman, Rei Hino, was in a situation that she couldn't escape: her grandfather had dragged her off to Hokkaido of all places for some secret mandatory conference that all priests and shrine maidens attended starting at the age of eighteen.

_Of all the times for there to be a Senshi alert! _Rei mentally snarled. _Oh well, there's not a lot I can do from Hokkaido… unless I teleport. I somehow doubt Grandpa would miss that though…_

From where he sat, Rei's grandfather was watching her. He knew more than he let on about her "extracurricular activities". It wasn't that he was without his own secrets, and his own reasons for not sharing them, in fact he had many secrets. One of those secrets, one that was very important, was going to be revealed to Rei along with several others in Hokkaido. It would be interesting, the elder Hino mused to discover what his granddaughter would do with the knowledge.

Rei's Grandfather sighed. After the age of eighteen shrine families usually taught their children higher levels the "family business". As generations had progressed, and Mr. Hino had seen more of these than he'd probably ever let his granddaughter know about, the power of the shrine families had diminished greatly. In the current crop there were two who were considered highly talented in the spiritual department. One was the girl with the double life that he was traveling with and the other he knew for a fact would not be attending this meeting… at least not as a first time attendee.

* * *

Had Usagi called and spoken with her boyfriend that morning she would have learned that he had had the same dream. In fact, she would have learned that the dream had caused the reincarnated prince of Earth awaken from an otherwise sound and peaceful sleep. She would have also learned that there was a major difference in the interpretation of the two dreams.

The reincarnated princess would say the stranger's presence was warm, comforting and welcome to her. The presence, she would argue, was one of care, trust and protection. Mamoru would say that the presence was worrisome to him. He'd not admit to being afraid of the presence and wasn't sure that that was even the case. But he would admit to feeling uneasy, wary and nervous at the presence. It was, in Mamoru's mind as if this being was somehow as much an enemy to Mamoru as the forces of Beryl of House Nova had been.

It was a personal truth that Mamoru disliked dreams of the past as well as ones dealing with Crystal Tokyo. They always, at least when it came to him, seemed to herald some new challenge to the "happily ever after" that Usagi's previous incarnation's mother seemed to want for them. At times, it seemed like something was trying to get their attention. What he couldn't figure out was why.

It was into these thoughts that the feeling that Usagi might just be in trouble intruded. He didn't need to be told twice what that meant. He quickly got to his feet and walked out the door relying on his tenuous bond with the moon princess to guide him to where she was.

* * *

Usagi transformed long before she entered the clearing. She'd been right there had been a youma attack and it had been her friend Naru who was once again the target. However Usagi now found herself in a…odd predicament. For the majority of her "career" as a costumed hero of love and justice, she had always managed to find a positive thing to say about either a possessed item or a wronged person. This time she was having difficulties due to the item seemingly possessed: an hourglass. Blithely she noted that Setsuna, the Senshi of time and space would probably be better suited to rhapsodizing about that item.

The youma in question looked like a cross between a black haired woman and a giant spider (which Sailor Moon thought was totally icky) with an hourglass that looked to be lodged in the thing's abdomen. It had used two of its eight limbs to pin the hapless Naru Osaka to the ground and was currently harvesting energy.

_No time for a speech I suppose! _Sailor Moon thought irritably as she charged forward using her shoulder to dislodge the youma from her friend. The defender of love and justice took a moment to make sure the spider's victim was relatively okay before turning her attention to said youma.

Though Usagi didn't know it, calling this creature a youma was an error. Had Sailor Pluto encountered this creature she'd have recognized it as what it was: a time-eater. A time-eater is one of the creatures that wander the pathways of time beyond the Time Gates. They feed off the no only life force but in some cases could displace a person (usually) permanently then steal all the energy of their potential future. It was Sailor Pluto's duty to keep these creatures from intruding into the lives of people. It was actually one of several tasks she had to do, truthfully.

The youma in question glared malevolently at the blonde heroine. However, unknown to Usagi, she'd been the intended target of the creature to begin with. It lunged forward striking at the quickly dodging Senshi with its four spidery limbs. The youma's grin turned feral as it backed her against the nearby tree.

Usagi didn't need to be told she was in trouble this youma was fast, too fast for her to keep dodging forever and the feeling of tree bark against her back told her she had run out of room to move. Mentally she could already hear Luna's scolding about not paying attention to her surroundings. Despite that it was then that Sailor Moon noticed the hourglass or more accurately what it was doing. _The hourglass is turning…more like spinning! That can't be good._

The spider-youma pinned the Senshi of the Moon to the tree as the hourglass began to spin faster still, taking on an ever brightening glow. The Senshi found much to her dismay that she couldn't move. _What is this youma doing? I can't move and the glow is blinding… _

Moments before her thought could finish there was a sound like rolling thunder. The glowing hourglass seemed to flash at the same instant. When the light faded, both the Senshi of the Moonand her arachnid assailant were gone.

* * *

Feudal Japan

Kouga leaned into to bole of a centuries old tree playing the oldest item he possessed: an ivory ocarina. None of his human associates knew he could place, and he was content to leave it that way for the moment. If one were able to look into Kouga's mind at the moment they'd have been surprised to find that Kouga was neither thinking about killing Naraku nor wooing Kagome for once. Instead, Kouga was thinking about the last week and the changes it had brought.

At the dawn of the week, Kouga had yet another meeting with his most tedious admirer: Ayame. Instead of bothering him about wanting to wed him however she had a serious look to her. She had informed the wandering wolf prince that his father had been mortally wounded in a battle with strange, dead eyed Taijya and had asked that Kouga be summoned. While Kouga didn't care for how his father did things, he did care about his father and went to his side as quickly as possible.

It's been said that there are two ways of becoming Taiyoukai: The first was by defeating the current lord in mortal combat. That was the usual way of doing things. The second way was how Sesshoumaru gained his position as Taiyoukai of the West: Right of Succession. Kouga hadn't wanted to be Lord of the North, but his father had been insistent. Thus it was that two days ago Kouga had assumed the mantle of Taiyoukai of the North, including the painful infusion of power that came with the title.

Had that been the end of it, Kouga would have been on his way after the burial. But it seemed that there was more to it. The Great Pack's sage, Horo had consulted the Lunes, that being runes of prophecy that could only be read when certain lunar conditions are met and informed Kouga that he was to stay in this forest in order to "receive a gift from the mistress of the night sky' that meaning the moon.

Kouga didn't mind the waiting as much as he pretended, however. After all, the dreams had returned. All through his life, Kouga had experienced these bitter-sweet visions. He didn't know who the woman he dreamed about was, but he knew beyond any doubt that she was real and that she was someone who was important to him: a friend, a confidant, and something beyond both those all in one.

It was then that the peace was broken by a loud scream. Coming with the sound was a scent. Kouga had caught part of it before: it was a scent he assumed came from Kagome's country, but the other part was something else. It was something wonderful. It pulled at a deep primal memory, one that unknown to Kouga, was inherited by all ookami youkai: the scent of the moon. Without being told he knew what it was and what he had to do. In a gust of wind based power he took off to find the owner of this scent.

* * *

As the glow of the youma's attack faded, Usagi noticed two things right away that were wrong. The first was that the tree she'd been backed against was gone, this she realized as she fell on her backside. The second thing she noticed was that somehow she had returned to her non-senshi form. Both of these didn't bode well, That being said Usagi did the only thing she could think of: She screamed.

As anyone who knew Usagi could tell you, her wailing could reach a pitch an unbearably high pitch as well as travel distance very well. In this case the shriek caused the "youma" to grip its head as it doubled over in pain. Upon seeing this, the Senshi of the moon took off running.

_Where am I? Did this thing teleport me somewhere? Why did I turn back? Mamo-chan where are you? Where are the others? They should have been here by now! Help me! Somebody help me! _Usagi mentally screamed.

"Get down!" A masculine voice called and Usagi responded on instinct by diving for cover. She felt something that felt like a gust of wind pass over her and heard something crash into the pursuing youma. She looked up from where she landed and felt a jolt of fear course through her.

Standing between her and the youma was what looked like another youma, this one a male. It was tall and tan. It was clad in brown fur leggings, a brown fur kilt black and grey armor and fur epaulets. Its hair was black and from what she could see from this angle it sported pointy ears. As if sensing she was staring the youma in question turned its head and looked at her with his stormy blue eyes.

"Are you okay?" the 'youma' asked.

"Uhh…" Usagi began.

Kouga blinked now that he was looking at the moonchild. She had blue eyes and long blonde hair. Despite being scared out of her wits she was still cute. Before Kouga could introduce himself and tell her he was not a threat the spider thing he's just kicked began to get to its feet. _What is this thing? Something new Naraku has made? Doesn't matter it was trying to harm the moonchild and that would __**not**__ be tolerated _"We can speak later. Please, for now, stay right here while I deal with this… thing, okay?"

Despite herself Usagi nodded. Something was telling her that despite this being's odd appearance that she should trust him. With no other words needed Kouga nodded then leapt into battle.

TBC


	3. Wolf and Moon Rabbit

Once again, I don't own Sailor Moon, that honor is Takeuchi Naoko's. I also don't own Inu Yasha as that is Takahashi Rumiko's creation. I'm not making any money off this work (thus why I have a part time job on top of going to college), it is purely for entertainment.

Before I begin, I'd like to thank my fans. There is no greater boost to me than when I read a review and know that something I've written has touched a person's heart or brightened a day. And don't doubt that I read every review sometimes numerous times. I especially want to take the time to thank my good friend, fellow writer and fan stevethesuperotaku, without whom this story would still be a "seed" buried in forgotten parts of my past. A reviewer by the name of candinaru25 asked in their review if Mamoru is a bad guy in this story. My answer is going to sound like a bit of a cop out, but it really depends on what you mean by "bad guy". What I mean is that some of his actions (especially in later chapters) would definitely paint him in a negative light, but I don't consider him a "bad guy". The same can be said of Sailor Pluto as of this episode and that's hard to write (and harder to admit) because Set-chan is one of my favorites out of all the Senshi.

Of Wolves and the Moon

Chapter two: Wolf and Moon Rabbit

By

Lance the Flamesniper

"_There will come to pass a time when a master of the Great Pack who is also the Lord of the Northern Lands will be laid low by a killer of youkai whom himself is dead. The mantels and titles of the master shall then be passed to his son who is destined for an honor beyond that which any in the great pack has ever known previously. He will first venture into the forest of the Lords and there shall remain until he is granted a gift from the Mistress of the Night Sky…."_

_--Translated from the Lunes of Destiny by an unknown source_

* * *

Feudal Era:

Usagi Tsukino was a girl from the twentieth century with many friends. Two of which were very good at two different things: Makoto Kino, was a sweet, gentle girl, who happened to be really strong and good at martial arts and Haruka Ten'ou who was a track star and probably the fastest person Usagi knew. However, as she watched the fight unfolding before her, she had to admit that Haruka and Makoto had to be bumped down to the number two spots on Usagi's lists.

The creature that had came to her rescue seemed to move fast enough to leave after images of himself at some points and at others was completely encased in its own localized tornado. The spider youma lashed out with its limbs and spat webs to try to slow its attacker down but so far the spider was having no luck what-so-ever.

The spider's attacker smirked and committed what seemed to Usagi to be a basic error in youma fighting 101: he closed in on the creature. She would have shouted at him to keep back because of this, told him that making contact with a youma allows them to take your energy, but it seemed to not matter in this case. The man dashed in and, using the youma's front most appendages as support kicked the youma squarely in the jaw four times before flipping away. As the spider staggered back, the defender charged forward again this time jumping high into the air where once again he was encased momentarily in a swath of wind before dive bombing the youma again with a hard kick.

"Hmmm, you seem weaker than Naraku's usual Creations…." Usagi's rescuer mused aloud. "Maybe you aren't a Naraku-spawn after all."

The spider for its part merely hissed and charged forward again. It sensed power in this creature. A lot of power and if it could consume the potential of this thing, it would become a god among time-eaters. Unfortunately, Kouga had been waiting for it to charge at him in a motion that would have left Ami dizzy trying to work out the physics of it Kouga jumped forward twisting in a complete revolution while swinging out this leg. The motion of the kick, while nowhere near the spider had an effect: an arch of icy blue energy was released along with the kick.

"Windscythe!" The attacker called out as he launched his attack, The youma was moving too fast to counter the maneuver and could only scream as the Windscythe sliced through it's body reducing it to dust.

Usagi gulped at how easy this being had dealt with the youma. The being's stormy blue eyes met with gentle blue ones as he began to walk toward her, his wolf tail and ponytail swaying counterpoint to each other with each step. Though with each step forward he took, she took two backward. This comical retreating would have continued had she not encountered a tree.

"St-stay back!" Usagi stammered then blinked in surprise as the creature before her stopped three feet from her and dropped to one knee in a courtly bow. "Forgive me, moonchild, for startling you. Are you okay?"

"Eh!?" Usagi exclaimed as the words and their meanings finally registered. _Oh no! He somehow knows who I am! Luna gonna kill me! Think! Think!_ "Wh-why did you call me a moonchild. No moonchild here! Nope! Just a normal girl!"

"I highly doubt that. I call you a moonchild because that is what you are, what your scent says you are and I always, _always _trust my nose."

"Oh," Usagi said in a voice that was more calm than she felt at the moment.

"Again I ask moonchild, are you okay?"

"Uhm yes I'm fine I just need to find a phone to call Mamo-chan. Maybe he can come get me with his scooter."

"Fone? Scooter? What're those?" Kouga asked in confusion.

"You know a telephone and a motor scooter!" Usagi responded only to be confused by the man's blank look.

"Sorry I don't know about any of those things. I do know we must hurry to if we are to be safe. There is a group of bandits supposedly in this area that my pack is watching. I'd rather not risk them getting a hold of you."

"Bandits?"

"Yes, but don't worry once we get back to my pack we will be okay."

_What is up with this weird youma… wait a minute did he say…pack!?_ "You mean there's more than just you around here??

Kouga slowly rose to his feet. "Yes the Great Pack is nearby paying respects to the memory of my father."

As soon as Usagi heard this, her heart went out to this being. It was also about this time that she realized that the more she talked with this person the less afraid of him she was. In fact he almost seemed familiar to her, like she should know him. Even the clothing he wore, which were odd even for modern day Japan seemed to tug at a memory. "I'm sorry to hear about your loss….uhm…what did you say your name was?"

Kouga grinned in spite of himself. Here they were having a conversation all the while neither of them had introduced themselves. "Kouga, my name is Kouga."

"Tsukino Usagi! Pleased to meet you!" The young woman responded. Inside her mind though that name rang a bell. _We just learned about someone named Kouga in… Folklore Class!? That's gotta be a coincidence! This guy has to be someone's whose parents were fans of the legend and he's….cosplaying… maybe? _"So I take it your parents were fans of the legend of the Shikon no Tama?"

Kouga raised an eyebrow at that. "What do you mean by that?"

"You know, with you being named after the Wolf Demon of the North and all..."

"Well I a ookami youkai and this _is_ the Northern lands… But as for the Shikon no tama," Kouga began as he removed the two shards he possessed but didn't use anymore. "It's something I wouldn't bother with."

Usagi's gaze fixed on the two glowing shards in Kouga's hand and came to a very unpleasant realization: she was no longer in the modern era. This really was the wolf demon Kouga. Somehow that youma had pulled her into the past and now she had no idea how to get back, That being the case she did what anyone would do in that situation: She fainted.

* * *

Modern Era

Setsuna was the first Senshi to arrive to the location of the attack, followed only moments later by Ami, both in their Senshi guises. While Ami checked Naru for any serious injuries, Setsuna observed the surroundings. What she was seeing wasn't making her happy. After all when a time-eater was involved the mark of it was dreadfully clear as they did not just drain energy from people but also from the plants and animals around them. Judging from the drained, almost burnt looking grass, shrubbery and trees, the time eater in question was a large one. It was then that a horrifying thought occurred to the Senshi of Time: Sailor Moon wasn't here nor was the time-eater. Could that mean that the time-eater had pulled the princess back into the past? And if that was the case, what did that mean for Crystal Tokyo?

"Naru seems okay, but we need to get her to the hospital," Sailor Mercury stated matter-of-factly.

"Sailor Moon seems to be missing," Sailor Pluto said with a degree of calmness she didn't feel. "Get Ms. Osaka to the hospital, when the other Senshi arrive here, we'll see if we can find Usagi."

Once Ami Mizuno was gone Setsuna set about trying to figure a way to save Usagi from whenever she had ended up. If she hurried she could save Usagi and arrange it to look like she'd only been missing maybe an hour no matter how long she'd spent in the past. It would take some clever use, borderline abuse of her power to do it, but for the sake of Crystal Tokyo she would do so!

Mamoru was halfway to the park when the pain hit. He knew instantly what the wrenching feeling in his heart meant; it was a not-so-gentle alarm that something had happened to the woman he was "destined" to spend all of time with. Once again the dream came back to him bringing back the feeling of being threatened. Only now Mamoru wondered if it was merely him that was the target of this threat. Only in the dream it had been Serenity who had gone to the shadowed presence. Which in Mamoru's mind meant it was someone she knew, just as the four generals of Beryl had been his four "most trusted advisors".

_Does that mean the shadowy man was in some way a traitor to the moon kingdom?_ Mamoru didn't know. All he knew was that he had to find out what happened to Usagi.

* * *

Feudal Era

Usagi began to slowly awaken to a sense of unbelievable warmth, comfort and contentment. Part of her wanted merely to remain this way, while another wanted to know how she was feeling this way. It was then she realized that she was being carried piggy-back on a lithely muscled back. Instantly she remembered where and when she was.

"Oh! Gomen Kouga-san!" Usagi said clearly embarrassed at having passed out all the while trying to remember all she could of this character from the legend she had read just the night before.

"Daijabu Usagi-san. I don't mind carrying you. Besides I get the feeling you had a rough day and didn't plan on traveling from your country to here.

"My country! Yes right…Where we have Telephones and Scooters," the reincarnated moon princess babbled as her mind struggled to retrieve the what she knew.

"I know a person from your country. If you would like, my pack and I will protect you until we see her again."

"Oh? I guess that would be okay. Do you run into her a lot?" _He's talking about the girl who overcame time! Oooh is Setsuna gonna be mad when she learns there are people traveling through time. Still right now that girl is possibly my only chance to get home._

"Not as much as I'd like. She's a miko traveling with several others trying to get rid of a bastard named Naraku. The next time I see her I'll be handing off my jewel shards to her and if need be escorting you and her back to your country, which must truly be blessed to have a moonchild living in it."

"Really Kouga-san, I'm not that special," Usagi demurred.

"Never let me hear you say that again Usagi-san," Kouga began. "You are very special, and not only because you are of the moon. I've only just met you and I can tell that."

Usagi found herself speechless at the heartfelt comment from someone her folklore book said was a courageous warrior who had made some bad choices early on (which if Usagi remembered her reading was because of the jewel's influence) but redeemed himself later. Usagi found her thoughts interrupted once again this time by several calls of "Kouga!". Looking up from the shoulder she'd been staring at she found herself looking at roughly a dozen fur clad children, who up until this point had been rough and tumble playing near the cave entrance.

"Oi cubs!" Kouga greeted with a grin. "where are the guards."

"Ano," one of the older male cubs responded. " Ginta-san is sleep, I mean meditating."

"I see," Kouga stated in bemusement as the cubs noticed Usagi. "could you cubs do an important duty for me?"

"Hai Kouga-sama!" A young dark hair she-cub cheered. "What do you wish of us?"

"Well first off, Yuri-chan, enough with the 'sama' crap. Next could you announce that I have arrived?" Kouga asked.

With a nod the chib-pack ran into the cages chanting. "Everyone! Everyone! Kouga-sama has returned! And he has a Tsuki no Tenshi with him!"

"Moon angel huh?" Kouga mused with a grin while Usagi tried to hide a terminal blush. "I like that!"

It was in this way that Usagi Tsukino began her stay among the Great Pack of the Northern Lord.

TBC


	4. Welcoming Party

I don't own Sailor Moon nor do I own Inu Yasha. They belong to Takeuchi Naoko and Takehashi Rumiko respectively. Any characters that don't belong to these two manga-ka belong to me.

Of Wolves and the Moon

Chapter three: Welcoming Party

By Lance the Flamesniper

"_The impression given by the wolf pack back when I first encountered Kouga was one of grim seriousness and hostility. It wasn't until many years later that I realized that the group I had encountered was what Kouga referred to as a "War pack". The best comparison I could offer would be that this was a patrol or military squad. Considering that Kouga had been embroiled in a conflict with the Birds of Paradise that description holds true. Later, Inu Yasha and I were guests at the Lunar Festival and it was then we saw the true nature of the Great Pack, It turns out that wolves enjoy singing, dancing, playing music and feasting as much as any human."_

_-Excerpt from the Memoirs of Kagome Higureshi_

* * *

Usagi couldn't help but blink as seemingly endless streams of ookami youkai came seemingly from everywhere. Before a minute passed there were easily at least one thousand ookami youkai gathered in the cave's naturally carved assembly hall. All eyes were on Kouga and on the woman with him. Fortunately he had possessed the good grace to let her down off his back before the rest arrived. Still Usagi couldn't help but feel nervous.

"Alright listen up! This is Usagi Tsukino. She won't admit it, but she's a moonchild. For a time she will be staying with us!" Kouga called, and then paused as his pack cheered. "Now in honor of her arrival we are going to have a celebration!"

At this the pack cheered louder then rushed in various directions to prepare the celebration their Lord had ordered.

"Ano…Kouga-san? My being here isn't a happy occasion, not for me at least. I want to go home and see my friends," Usagi said to him.

"Gomen nasai Usagi-san. I know you might not understand what I'm doing, but let me try to explain. Both you and the pack have gone through a lot of suffering: You for being pulled from your friends and them from the loss of their leader. But instead of allowing that to consume you, you need something to ease fears and pain. So why not focus on celebration, not suffering."

_Celebration, not suffering…. I like that idea! _Usagi thought then offered Kouga her best smile. "Oh! I understand now. But really, you don't have to do this for me."

Kouga felt his cheeks heat up. At that moment he knew something for certain: he would move heaven and Earth if it would allow him to see that smile. "I know that Usagi-san, but I want to…"

"Okay then."

Kouga quickly recovered from his somewhat daze and decided upon a course of action. "May I show you around, Usagi-san?"

"Well, if I'm staying with your pack I probably should get to know the place," Usagi agreed as the two began to walk.

The tour took about two hours. Usagi found herself looking in awe at the caves Kouga called home. Family sized caves for mated (Usagi learned that meant Married) couples, large dormitory-like caves for single males and females, a large hot spring grotto with a crystal ceiling and indoor waterfall the massive cooking fire room; Kouga showed her everything. Finally they came to a large room in which there were two piles of deer furs.

"And this, is where you'll be staying, Usagi-san."

The room was spacious and had a private access path to the hot spring and clearly someone else's room.

"It's really a wonderful room, but whose room was it before I got here?"

"Well originally it was my father's and technically it's now mine. But I don't mind giving it to you."

"But then were would you sleep?" Usagi asked curiously, remembering that the male dorms she saw were full.

"Oh I'll be fine Usagi-san. I'll just sleep on the floor in the great hall or something," Kouga said in a tone that sounded like he was trying to pass it off as no big deal. "I'll give you a moment to get used to the room while I go check on…."

"Kouga-san wait," Usagi began, stopping the wolf prince as he was about to leave. Unfortunately, whatever she was about to say was aborted by a sudden invasion of gravity. As she stepped towards Kouga something caused the princess of the moon to lose her footing. Kouga tried to catch her only to fall with her. When the proverbial dust settled Kouga found himself on his back staring into the eyes of Usagi, who had landed with her legs straddling his waist. As the two stared at each other their cheeks slowly crimsoned as similar thoughts went through their minds.

_Oh my god! I thought he was good looking but up close, he's beautiful…_ Usagi thought.

_By the Kami! I always thought Kagome was attractive, but she pales compared to this beauty… What am I thinking! I need to be protecting her not, not whatever this is!_

"Usagi? What was it you wanted to say?"

'Uhm well…" Usagi verbally fumbled as her blush intensified at what she was about to say. "There are two piles of blankets here. Why not share the room?"

"Would you truly be okay with that Usagi-san?"

"Please, call me Usagi. And no, I don't think I would mind sharing with you. As long as you behave yourself!" Usagi mock scolded.

"I can behave. And if I'm calling you Usagi, then please call me Kouga?"

"Deal!" Usagi said before they both heard a loud "Ah-hem!"

The two turned their heads in unison and found themselves staring at a pair of feet clad in white fur. Their eyes trailed up the the toned legs of to a pair of feminine hips in a white fur kilt then further up over the red and black armor that adored her chest finally stopping at a pair of green eyes under a mop coifature of crimson hair. At the moment those green eyes where looking…angry.

"Just what the Hell do you think you're doing?" Ayame snarled.

"Usagi, I'd like you to meet Ayame… Ayame, this is Usagi and it's not what it looks like," began Kouga cautiously.

"Oh really? Because it looks like she's got you pinned and about to kiss you," The she wolf responded.

"Yes really! She and I were just discussing her sleeping arrangements when she fell. I promised her no harm would come to her and that includes falling onto the hard floor if it can be avoided!" Kouga snapped as he slowly helped Usagi to her feet, getting to his own in the process. "But it is a good thing you've shown up, I did need to speak with you about something important."

"Oh?"

"Yes," Kouga stated grimly. "But not here. Forgive Usagi but I need to speak with Ayame. I'll send someone to get you when the celebration begins. Please feel free to rest until then."

At Usagi's nod Kouga offered her a small grin and walked with Ayame out of the room.

_The way she was looking at us… is she Kouga's girlfriend? Great going meatball head you've only been with the pack a few hours and you're already causing Kouga problems!_ Usagi mentally groused before sitting down on the furs and following Kouga's advice.

* * *

Ayame scowled at Kouga once they finally stopped walking. "What is it Kouga? Can't make up your mind? First you agree to be my mate when I was younger, then it's Kagome and now this…"

"Ayame, this isn't going to be easy but you're going to have to hear me out. I can't be your mate," Kouga said all the while steeling him self for what was coming. He didn't have to wait long.

"What!" Ayame shrieked. "You'd better have a very good reason for this!"

"Oh I think it's pretty good. It's something I learned recently and I'm betting you don't know it either, or you wouldn't be so hell bent to be my mate."

"What is it Kouga?" Ayame asked in concern.

"It seems we share a father Ayame, you're my sister."

Ayame shook her head in denial. "My mother told me…"

"…That your father was killed in battle before you were born. It was a better story than saying your mother had bedded with someone else's mate."

"But, who told you…?"

"The Great Pack's Secret keeper told me. All the pack leaders appoint one. Upon the death of the pack's leader, the Secret Keeper tells the new leader all the secrets the keeper feels that the new leader and his chosen Keeper needs to know. So, sorry, little sister, I can't mate with you."

Ayame stared in shock at what she just heard. She knew Kouga wouldn't lie to her, not about something this important but still. "This is going to take some time to get used to," She mumbled dazedly.

"No kidding," Kouga deadpanned. "Also since you are my sister, if something happens to me before I can produce an heir or before any heir I have is old enough to lead you'll become leader."

"Yes, yes of course," Ayame mumbled.

"Good!" Kouga said with a smile as he began to walk away. "Now if you'll excuse me I have to go oversee the preparations for the celebration."

* * *

Tokyo, Modern Era Early Afternoon

Rei Hino was starting to wish she could get away from this "family outing" and not just to help Usagi. The trip to the airport wasn't too bad, but from there they had gotten on an airplane with other shrine families all bound for Hokkaido. That wasn't too bad though her grandfather was starting to act odd. The only words he'd said to her before boarding were "Keep alert not everything is always what it seems."

So Rei did what Rei did best: she yelled at her grandfather then obeyed anyway. Almost as soon as she allowed herself to receptive to her spiritual/ extrasensory abilities she felt something was off. It seemed to her that several of the other people in the airport had a strange sort of… shimmer to them. _Why are they shimmering like that? And the feeling I'm getting off of them… it isn't a presence of evil, but it's definitely off._ However she couldn't get any answers out of her grandfather despite her best efforts. Then they boarded the plane.

"What you saw in the terminal, Rei, was part of the reason we have to take this trip. It's something that maybe half of the people we're traveling with even came close to noticing which really and truly is a shame. I can't tell you more than that until we get where we're going."

After the flight came another car ride that Rei passed by first fighting with the radio then failing that staring out the window at the people they passed, some that shimmered and more that didn't. It was early evening before they made it to the debarkation point for the next part of the journey, this being via an old sailing junk.

"Tell me Rei, when you look toward the horizon, what do you see?" Old man Hino asked as he heard some of the other young adults complain a trip into the open sea.

Rei, having ignored the others her age looked toward the horizon. She saw an island with what looked like a small well lit village on it, though it was hard to tell because it was quite a distance away. "I see an island with a village on it. However, judging from what others are saying it's not there."

"Oh but it is there. In fact that island and the village on it are one of the secrets I can tell you about. The village is called Ookamimachi. It's protected by old enchantments. Only certain people can see it and sometimes only to certain degrees. Those with no ability will not see it at all. Some will look toward the island and see nothing but mist while others will see the island and believe it to be nothing but a craggy mass of rocks. The image you see however is the true one." He grandfather said.

"Why would someone go through so much trouble to hide a village?" Rei sniped, knowing for once not to dispute what she was being told since it was clear that the elder Hino was telling the truth.

"You'd have to ask him. All I know is that Ookamimachi was once closer to what is now Tokyo, then sometime during the feudal era he had instructed the village to come here and that the barrier magic was to be set up."

"He?"

"You'll meet him soon enough. I will tell you that he is one of probably five beings that I know of that are absolutely not to be trifled with to the point that not even the emperor himself would go against them."

_Who in the name of the kami could hold that much power?_ The senshi of Mars wondered as she boarded the junk idly noting its name: the Ookami no Mizu. To calm her mind she focused on trying to figure out a way to contact the other senshi to find out what was going on in Tokyo as well as get the answers to whatever was going on with this gathering of shrine families.

* * *

Early evening, Feudal Era

The smell of food, more accurately roasting meat that brought Usagi from the nap she decided to take before the celebration. She sat up and stretched marvelling at how soft the blankets had actually been. Judging by the yummy smells the party would soon be starting.

After about ten minutes of waiting the red haired she wolf from earlier came to get her. "I hope you rested well Usagi-san?" She asked trying to be cheerful despite still feeling internally shell-shocked.

"Oh!" Usagi started after feeling a pang of regret. "Yes I am. Ayame-san, I just wanted to say I'm sorry for earlier. I didn't mean to cause problems between you and Kouga. I'm just well… clumsy I guess."

"You needn't worry Usagi-san. In reality I over reacted. There's not really anything between myself and Kouga, nor can there be."

"Oh?" Usagi asked. "Why is that?"

"Seems he and I share a parent and didn't know it until recently. I'm not sure about humans but it is generally frowned upon by the ookami youkai to pursue one's brother."

Usagi for her part was trying her best no to blush at how direct the she-wolf was. "I see."

"Now that that's out of the way, let's start again shall we? Hello, I'm Ayane."

Usagi giggled then offered the female wolf her best friendly smile. "I'm Usagi. Wanna be friends?"

Ayame smiled back. "Yes!"

It was then that the duo entered the great hall. As Usagi expected there were still several hundred if not several thousand wolf demons in the hall. She noticed right away the absence of cubs as well as that several of the wolves she'd seen earlier were not in attendance. Both facts she asked her guide about.

"Oh that! The cubs are all either asleep or playing somewhere. The wolves that aren't here are either on cooking duty, guard duty or cub watching. All of which are important jobs within the pack."

"I see," Usagi said. Before she could continue the heard the sound of music, though not the usual she was used to. Heavy drum beats accompanied by lively flute trills were the order of the day and along with all of that was a high lilting sound.

"Ah, I see they've convinced him to play tonight."

"Got who to play?" Usagi asked.

"The boss," A wolf with white hair styled into a mohawk responded. "He plays the ocarina."

"Yes," The wolf's partner, sporting white hair with a tuft of black in the front. "He plays it rather well but doesn't usually do so in front of the pack."

"Usagi, these are Kouga's Lieutenants or as I call them lackeys. The one with the Mohawk is Ginta. The other one is his cousin Hakkaku."

Usagi bowed. "It's nice to meet you both."

The duo returned her bow then Hakkaku responded. "The honor is ours Usagi Moonchild."

"Please, just Usagi will do."

The two looked at each other then joined the group in dancing as Kouga led the gathered wolf musicians through several lively tunes. Usagi stared at the leader of the wolves, his eyes closed as he focused on his playing.

_I can see why they'd want him to play, he's really good!_ Usagi thought.

After many hours of dancing and playing the hour began to draw late. A strange lull had come over wolves, it was coupled with a feeling that something was going to occur. Kouga opened his eyes and Usagi noticed right away a change. His stormy blue eyes were heavy lidded and his gaze was distant, almost dream-like. He put his ocarina to his lips and began to play. The song he played was one Usagi knew Kouga couldn't have known, a song he couldn't have heard. Kouga couldn't have heard it, simply because she didn't have the lunar locket with its haunting, sad melody with her. Still there he stood, trace-like playing it his distant gaze locked on her. The time-displaced princess only had a jumble of thoughts on this situation: _What is this? What's going on here? Kouga, how do you, how could you, know the Lunar lullabye?_

TBC

Author's note:

I should apologize for how late this submission is. However lately life, especially focusing on summer college had been both tedious and in the way. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this.


	5. Seeing the Seers

Just a reminder, I don't own Sailor Moon or Inu Yasha. Their creators do and I'm pleased with that. I'm merely borrowing them to tell this tale. I also don't own special guest characters in this work. They belong to CLAMP. Nor do I own the story referenced in this chapter, it was written by Stephen King.

Of Wolves and the Moon

Chapter Four: Seeing the seers

By Lance the Flamesniper

_The term seer has been around for millennia. No matter where one travels the term instantly gains one notice. Unknown to many in the Terran Age (The era between the fall of the Silver Millennium and the Great Cataclysm that heralded the Rise of Crystal Tokyo) there were many seers. One seer in particular, a fugitive from Saturn still alive in the 20__th__ century, was instrumental in setting in motion a course of events that would echo forever through time. _

_-From the private journal of Setsuna Meioh_

* * *

Tokyo, modern Era

Not many people could find this particular place. It was a shop that only those who needed the owner's help could find. To everyone else it was merely an overgrown field. Normally, Setsuna would never set foot here, but time was short and the crisis dire. As she walked into the shop, she immediately noticed the grumbling young man sweeping the floor. He was about high school age with dark hair, blue eyes and glasses. He paused when he noticed her and a small, seemingly forced, smile appeared on his face.

"Hello and welcome to Needful Things," The boy said.

She raised one emerald eyebrow at that. "Indeed?"

The boy seemed to deflate at that. "Not really, but it seems like that sometimes."

"I see."

"That's enough Watanuki, just send Ms. Meioh in."

"Sure thing Yuuko," Watanuki replied with a sigh.

"Oh and Watanuki?"

"Yeah?"

"We're out of sake could you go get more please?"

"Do I have a choice?" the teen asked.

"No."

"Didn't think so," he said with a sigh as he left to fulfill her request.

"I wasn't aware Yuuko that you allowed you students to compare you to Leland Gaunt."

"It was his idea of wit. While I do help people, for a fee, I never collect their souls," Yuuko responded with a sigh. "Though I suppose you didn't come here to discuss that."

"No, I didn't," Setsuna responded. "I recently misplaced something important, and it is outside of my power for some reason to locate and retrieve it."

Yuuko immediately became serious. "Something is blocking the Gates of Time? I wasn't aware that was even possible."

"It isn't, but somehow that's happening. However, I know that you operate though a different channel so I'm hoping you will help me."

"Such matters do not come cheap," Yuuko clucked as she took out a deck of cards.

"So what will you be taking from me for this?"

"I wish to see my little sister again," Yuuko responded instantly.

"But, you know she doesn't…" Setsuna began then sighed. "Very well, but I don't know how Hotaru will react to that."

"Nor is it any business of yours," The seer said before presenting the deck to the time guardian. "Inspect the deck to make sure that it is a standard Seer's Deck?"

Setsuna looked through it then handed it back. "One of each card as such a deck needs to be."

Yuuko nodded then began to chant as the cards organized into three formations: The formation on the far right had four cards the center formation had ten and the leftmost formation four. "Hmmm seems we have past, present and future to look at…"

"The present and future don't matter, what I seek is in the past."

"You of all people should know that…"

"I will take the risk. Time is of the essence."

"Very well," Yuuko said as she waved her hand over the cards in the right pile. The four cards flipped revealing: Serenity, The Prince, The Wolf which was overlapping the Prince and Hitsuzen. "My, my you've misplaced Serenity… but is seems a prince tied to wolves has found her."

"How does that help me?"

"How many princes do you know of who are tied in some way to wolves?"

"The last one I know of existed in the Feudal Era."

"Then, by all means, start there," Yuuko said.

Setsuna had barely disappeared when Yuuko looked at the other two piles and blinked in surprise. What she was seeing was delightfully impossible. Each of the other formations had The Wolf over the Prince and Serenity in them. The Center formation had the Wolf/Prince surrounded by the Matchless Warrior, The Thunder Lord, The Silent Monk and The Romantic. However Serenity was beside the Pretender over another Prince Card and the Seeker over them. The Final pile was a repeat of the first. "Hmmm… so Fate is with these two, but it looks like Setsuna's going to cause problems… Oh well not my problem," Yuuko sigh as she leaned back taking on a lounging pose as she lit her pipe. _Setsuna, someday you'll learn to be more patient._

Ookamimachi, early evening

Rei felt as if she had entered some weird dream upon stepping into Ookamimachi. The town itself was unremarkable if one excused the small palace on the highest hill. It was the people who came across as odd. The men of this town, at least the ones who didn't give off that strange vibe, wore either top knots or high ponytails. However it was the girls who struck her the most. No matter where she looked she saw the same style, twin dumpling knots and long oxtails.

_Why the hell are there so many damn dumpling heads here? What is this: a Tsukino Usagi appreciation convention?_ The Shinto firebrand mentally groused.

"You seem vexed Maiden," A voice called from behind her. When Rei turned she found herself nose to nose with a girl who looked about her age with black hair and brown eyes that hinted at a small degree of amusement. "So what's troubling you?"

"Who are you?" Rei asked. The girl's aura was… odd, though not like the others she'd seen.

"My name is Kagome Higureshi, or if you prefer the title, Oracle of the Sunset Shrine," Kagome said with a dramatic flip of her hand, a giggle and a grin. "But no fair dodging the question."

"Oh. Sorry. It's just that I couldn't help but noticing the hairstyles here," Rei said uneasily. "By the way I'm…"

"Rei Hino, yes I know. Your grandfather is a good friend of mine," Kagome said. "As for the hairstyles it's all because of the legend of this village."

"Legend?"

"There's a story that long ago the Taiyoukai of the North sent the people of Ookamimachi here for their protection while he and his beloved waited for some event to come to pass. Though before the event could pass the Lord's Beloved disappeared. The girls of this village wear their hair in the style of the Lord's beloved to honor both of them. Though some I think they do it in hopes that the Taiyoukai will come to them and profess his love."

"But, there's not really a Taiyoukai of the North, is there?" Rei responded derisively. While she knew of creatures from other dimensions or other planets existed, the youkai and taiyoukai were merely myths.

Kagome's grin turned serious. "You shouldn't be so closed minded Rei, I foresee that before the next few days come to pass, many things you thought you knew will be found to be illusions."

The Senshi of Mars then watched as the girl walked away. _What a strange girl. She can't be much older than I am but she acts like she's so much older. Maybe it's just because she's apparently more experienced at being a shrine maiden or something. After all she did claim to be an Oracle. Maybe I should ask Grandpa about her._

* * *

The moon was just beginning to rise when the sound hit the Lunar Sage Getsukage's sharp ears. It was the sound of combat, but that didn't bother him, more than likely Devon Evans and the others had cornered another youma. His four elite human warriors often got bored while he meditated and often hunted the scum that tried to invade the haven that was Ookamimachi. Though his meditations never brought him what he sought, merely more of the same disturbing images. Images of a dark snow-filled expanse, cold and desolate, a world of ruin. His beloved one is there but she and the friends he's often heard of in their time together are in peril. Before them in floats a being of tremendous power held airborne on massive black wings. Its eyes are link obsidian though he can't make out other features. The being holds out its palms as a corona of ebon energy coalesces into it hands then the vision ends.

"Is that when I will find her anew? In the heart of a battle with another enemy?" The sage asked the moon. While the sage himself was a great warrior and had fought many enemies, all he wished now was to find his mate. With a sigh he rose to his feet knowing that if he left his four warriors alone to much longer their fight was likely to spill into Ookamimachi before he and the others could explain to the latest crop of priests and priestesses exactly what was really going on in the world. He looked one more time to the rising moon.

"Please my mistress, let me find her soon? I tire of being lonely," he said before straightening his white robes and leaving to check on his allies.

* * *

Early Evening , feudal era

Usagi had awakened the next morning under a pile of very warm, very soft buck skins. Not surprising to her Kouga had already awakened and left, though not without leaving her breakfast: Warm steak, a rice flour flat bread and what was probably the Ookami equivalent of miso soup. She had just finished eating when Kouga reappeared and escourted her, at her request, to the hotspring where he politely left her claiming the he would be outside the door and to call if she needed anything. While Usagi had wished for shampoo or at least clean clothes she didn't think he'd be able to provide either (a talk with Ayame when lunch time came to pass changed her mind on the clothes and shortly thereafter Kouga agreed to take Usagi into the nearby village to get some yukatas and kimonos to supliment her clothes).

Whatever she expected from her time among the wolves, whom she'd read of in her folklore book as being a tribe of very Spartan nature, it was not the way she found herself spending the day. As much as it seemed that Kouga would have rather spent the entire afternoon with her, hanging on each word as he did so, he had duties as Taiyoukai and leader of the Great Pack to deal with. Having been left with nothing else to do Usagi wandered among the wolf pack for a while watching as some cooked and others mended armor or weapons (thus reminding her of exactly what a dangerous time she'd found herself in). But she also saw other things as well such as elderly ookami youkai telling stories in language of wolves to their cubs or in some cases grandcubs and more than a few mending or making musical instruments. What Usagi spent most of the day doing, however, was playing with the numerous cubs, all of whom were very reverent towards her, much to her embarrassment. Once their initial awe of her had passed the day was spent playing tag, hide-and-seek and statues. The day ended when an messenger came to her informing her that the seer Horo wished to see her.

Usagi had only seen Horo in passing and didn't really know what to make of her. She knew Horo was female but other than that she wore heavy robes and a hood. When she spoke, at least to wolves other than Kouga, it was a low whisper which hid her age well. If Horo wished to see her then it was important. With that in mind she followed the wolf messenger to the lair of the Wolf Seer.

Usagi was led into a room at the top of the lair. The room itself was possibly larger than the grand meeting hall. The ceiling was crafted of the same crystal that made up the skylight of the hot spring and let in the faint light of the early evening sun now. However, it was the walls of this spacious room that caught Usagi's attention. Seemingly every inch of the walls were covered in golden symbols. _No that's not quite right;_ _not symbols, but words! Ancient ones._ Usagi thought as she realized that she could not only see that they were words but actually read them. Her reincarnated self knew this kind of writing.

"Do you see them Moonchild?" a whispery voice asked.

Usagi jumped then relaxed as she spotted the robed and cowl clad form of the seer. "Y-yes. There are so many here. How do you know which ones to look at?"

Usagi could almost hear the amused surprise in the other being's voice. "The only ones I see are here," she said resting her hand against a set chronicling a great battle that if she was reading correctly would occur soon.

"But the whole room is full of them!"

Horo nodded then pulled back her hood revealing black hair, and black ears sporting white tips. Her eyes were a rich amber color and her smile revealed fangs that could easily be described as 'cute'. "And only a true child of the moon can see them all at once. The youkai and hanyou, such as myself, who have held the position of seer can only see certain ones during certain days of the year."

"But why would someone do that?"

"That moonchild is a question that has always been up for debate. My guess was that it was a way of keeping things secret until we needed to know what was to happen. Each passage only viewable on a certain date and only if the moon is in the right shape and spot in the celestial dance."

Usagi didn't understand that except for the part about the celestial dance. Her folklore profess had stated, somewhat wistfully if you had asked Usagi, that if one looked at youkai lore the moon was a feminine goddess who veiled herself during course of a lunar month while moving around gala balls that the stars held for her. "I see."

"What I have called you here for is the discussion of the lunes that appeared the day you arrived among us, which in case you were curious was also predicted."

"What lunes?" Usagi asked, her eyes searching for them on the walls.

"There will come to pass a time when a master of the Great Pack who is also the Lord of the Northern Lands will be laid low by a killer of youkai whom himself is dead. The mantels and titles of the master shall then be passed to his son who is destined for an honor beyond that which any in the great pack has ever known previously. He will first venture into the forest of the Lords and there shall remain until he is granted a gift from the Mistress of the Night Sky…"

"But I don't understand. I'm certainly not a gift from some Night Mistress, I was taken from my ti…er country by a monster."

"I know you are not the gift. I merely want to know if you can enlighten me of what gift you intend to bestow or what honor Kouga could gain beyond what he already has."

"I don't know yet," Usagi said diplomatically. _Maybe by his helping me he'll get some kind of reward._ "I'm sorry if I can't help you further, though. You have to forgive me but I've not had much of a chance to really get used to my surroundings. Please, be patient with me."

Horo allowed herself a mischievious smile. _I know you don't know what is to come, but I do, after all sometimes its best not to reveal all you know._"Very well Usagi. Other than that I was wondering if there was anything you wondered about? I am after all not only the tribe's seer, but also its loremaster. Any questions you have you should not hesitate to ask of me."

"There was one thing I keep hearing about…" Usagi hedged.

"Oh?"

"Ayame and Ginta were telling some cubs about it…but is there some story about how the Great Pack came about? It's sounded interesting.

Horo's smile became a genuine one at this. "It is a fascinating story, one of my favorites truthfully. Settle back, I'll have the messenger bring some food for us and then I'll begin."

Unnoticed to the two women was the fist-sized wasp that had observed the entire exchange. It further went unnoticed as it flew off to its master. While it could not speak what it saw would be made known to its master.

TBC


	6. Legend

Once again, I do not own Sailor Moon or Inu Yasha (unless you count DVD and VHS as ownership)

Of Wolves and the Moon

Chapter five: Legend

By

Lance the Flamesniper

_Every culture has their creation myths many about a god or goddess who decided one day to make something that turned out to be the culture or people that were now the keepers of the tale. This is true of the Greeks, the Romans, the Native American tribes and even those who live in Japan. So why would Youkai be any different?_

_-Kagome Higureshi __Myths and Legends of the Youkai __Introduction to the chapter on creation myths_

* * *

After Usagi and Horo had received their meal- a couple of boar steaks a salad made of local edible plants and a juice made of a mix of berries, honey and water, Horo settled into a crouch. Usagi joined her as they began to eat.

"So, about the story?" Usagi asked between bites.

Horo was silent for a moment, composing her thoughts. "Long ago there were two kingdoms. One of gold and one of silver. The kingdom of Gold was the realm of the land but didn't rule all the land. A small part was ruled by a woman who was very ambitious. This woman loved the prince of the kingdom of gold. The prince's father allowed her to love his son, but the king had his eyes on another prize."

"Another prize?" Usagi asked.

"Yes you see the kingdom of silver was one of the stars ruled by the mistress of the night sky. The king knew that he himself would not be able to claim that kingdom, however the mistress of the night sky had a daughter… So the king of the gold kingdom sent his son to the palace of the silver kingdom to meet with the daughter. What he found was a beautiful moonchild that entranced him. However he also found a rival, for the moonchild had a friend who was a prince from one of the other houses of the silver kingdom, which spanned the night sky."

_She's talking about the Silver Millennium! _Usagi thought excitedly. _But, this is the first I've ever heard of about another prince._

This prince had known the daughter of the silver kingdom's leader all her life and her well being and care ruled his unruly heart.

"Did he love her?" Usagi asked.

"He loved her very much," Horo said with a nod. "And the story goes that his feelings were reciprocated."

_That can't be right, _Usagi thought. _My memories of that time are all of Endymion…._

"However, the Golden Prince didn't realize that there were many who didn't like what was going on. They felt that the kingdom was not ready for a union with the Silver Kingdom and would be better off joining with the ambitious woman's realm before it should join with the kingdom of the sky. Among these, the legend says were the six advisors of the prince…" Horo continued.

_Six! But we only defeated four…_

"These advisors revealed to the ambitious queen what the king of the Golden kingdom had planned. The young queen became enraged and made a deal with a dark force, then began to amass an army. The prince of the moon was distrustful of the golden prince. And also found out about the Golden King's plan. The legend says he was going to confront the golden prince with what he learned. However before the prince could do so the Corrupted Queen, whose love of her prince and resentment towards the Silver Kingdom had been twisted in her dark deal, attacked the Silver Kingdom. During the battle two of the Golden Prince's traitorous advisors were slain: One by the Silver prince's sister and one by the silver prince himself. The silver prince confronted his Golden Counterpart in the presence of the Princess of the silver kingdom. However before he could gain the golden prince's confession both he and the golden prince was slain and the princess, saddened by the loss of the only man she loved fell upon the golden prince's sword. Shortly afterwards the Queen of the night sky sacrificed herself to save everyone and defeat the Corrupt Queen's army."

"But how does this explain the ookami youkai?" Usagi asked her heart aching.

"The Silver prince met with his fellow moon kin on their way to the afterlife. Something had kept them from crossing over until he arrived. It was a shinigami: a death god. She had taken pity on the Moon Prince who did not get saved like the others did. She offered him a deal: His clan and his ancestors would be reborn so he could be with his beloved, but there was a price. They would be made into Wolf Kin; the ookami youkai. The prince loved his princess more than anything else and with his clan's permission he agreed to be reborn as a youkai. With the hopes that someday, he would be reborn and could seek out his beloved," Horo finished.

Usagi blinked at this information. There was a man in the Silver Millennium who had loved her so much that he would have taken such an offer just for the chance to find her again? On one hand it made her heart soar, on the other it made her worry. _If what she's saying is true, then what does that mean about me and Mamoru?_ It would be a thought that would follow Usagi into her dreams that night.

* * *

Rei wandered the town of Ookamimachi in something akin to a daze. The strange auras being given off by many of the town's inhabitants were disconcerting to say the least. Add to that her talk with Kagome Higureshi and Rei was on edge. The more she thought about it, the more it seemed to her that youkai could exist. She'd seen stranger things after all.

As the senshi of fire rounded a corner she encountered a woman in a hood who was surrounded by about thirty children who seemed to have gathered for a late evening story. The children all gave off that odd aura and for a brief moment Rei could swear she saw some of the children sporting puppy-like ears. The image faded as quickly as a blink however.

"Okay, children," The hooded woman said. "One more tale then you need to be off to bed…"

Many of the children groaned at the mention of bed, but other than that the order was accepted. The Hooded woman thought for a moment then began. "The tale I tell is that of a great demon known as Naraku."

Many of the children "oohed" at that name though Rei had only heard it in passing.

"Naraku had caused many a human, hanyou and youkai trouble on his quest to gain the legendary shikon no tama. So much so that a Monk, a Taijya, an Inu Hanyou and his full youkai brother, a kitsune and the reincarnation of a legendary miko all joined forces to fight him. They battled the vile Naraku and his created monsters with the aid of the wolf-prince…"

Rei noticed that the mention of the Wolf Prince many of the children cheered. _Must be some kind of local folk hero_, the priestess thought blithely as the story teller continued.

The band of heroes had many adventures while fighting Naraku and finally faced him on a hill that even to this day is graced with cherry blossoms. The band however was not with the Wolf-prince when the battle met, as he was off on his search for his missing mate. However just as the last of the Taijya was about to be slain the Wolf-prince joined the battle. He entered the battle wreathed in wind and golden fire. It is said that in that battle just his touch seared the skin of the sinister Naraku for you see the prince had been blessed by his mate with a power beyond what Naraku could possess- a power to heal the righteous and harm the corrupt. Together with the band of warriors Naraku was felled and buried deep in the earth. Over his grave was build a shrine that to this day is guarded by the descendants of the Taijya and the Monk.

_That sounds like my family's temple! And that power sounds a lot like what meatball head can do! I need to find out more! _Rei thought. As she took a step forward the question of one of the children stopped her.

"Granny, has the Wolf Prince ever found his mate?"

The woman sighed. "Sadly child he still searches. He hopes that one day he will and when he does it will bring about a new era to not only his people but the world."

"Why is that miss?" Rei asked finally.

"Ah, young miko of the Cherry Hill Temple, do you not already know?" the woman asked.

"No. I'm afraid I don't."

"Well then child, I will tell you. When the Wolf Prince finds his mate, all of his tribe will again be allowed to return to their home!" the woman exclaimed, one pointed nail directed upwards, indicating the full silver moon. When Rei looked back from where the woman had pointed she found that both the children and the woman had disappeared.

"Okay that's it! As soon as I find Grandpa, he and I are going to have a serious talk about what's going one here!" Rei said as she stomped off to find said priest.

TBC


End file.
